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PartyCasino, the world's leading online casino brand, and part of the Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment family, is once again leading the pack for the prestigious Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month Award'. Sinatra, Rambo, Cleopatra and Circus continue to be some of the brands most popular games. Latest new releases from the casino include Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nags To Riches and Fairies Forest. The casino offers punters the opportunity to play for free or play for money, and a great range of slots, table games, skill games and of course, poker games, can be found across the company portfolio offer. Live dealer and PartyPoints remain very popular with online gaming fans. The company has been established for over a decade and has achieved numerous awards including the EGR 'Socially Responsible Operator Of The Year' award. They are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Crown Casino Security Under Spotlight; Casino Squad Proposal Buzz...

Should Melbourne's Crown Casino get their good old fashioned "casino squad" back on site? Many insiders think Yes, and that's the vibe in mainstream media and internet media forums, blogs and website portals.

Like it or not, Crown Casino, and other Australian land based casinos, have a habit of attracting criminals and undesirables. No wonder online casinos are becoming more popular with Joe Public is it.

Up until June 2006, an on site "casino squad" with detectives and the works was based at the famous James Packer owned casino.

The word on the street is that a number of crims launder cash and engage in drug deals in and around the casino, with even loan shark deals happening now and again.

Criminals who are banned from the casino as undesirables are still going to try their luck despite being on the receiving end of lifetime exclusion orders issued by the Chief Commissioner of Police. Believe it or now, sweeping powers that were given to police command to ban gamblers with serious crime links from the famous casino have not been used for five long years.

It's also understood that in a six years period no one has been charged under a consorting law which, when it was introduced in 2005, was championed as a powerful tool weapon against organised crime and mafia types.

The Police Association have gone public in attacking the decision to pull back resources as ignoring crime and wasting intelligence-gathering opportunities.

Over the years, the land based casino has proved a quite a catchment area for intelligence-gathering by police investigating the activities of organised crime figures.

It's common knowledge that criminal types, often in groups or gangs, are attracted o the casino, where funny money cash can be "washed" clean on the gaming tables, in the slots et al.

The Baillieu Government says its keen to restore law and order to Melbourne, so what's the hold up on the "casino squad"? Sounds like a comic strip or something by Marvel Studios, but this is real life and a real problem folks.

Crown Casino May Get Security Beefed Up With On Site Police Station...

Melbourne coppers would be able to ban undesirables from Crown casino without legal challenge under new powers being considered by the Victorian Government.

Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien advised the Government did not know of a problem with casino exclusion orders until the Murdoch's Herald Sun reported it earlier this week.

"We're very happy to receive advice from the police about concerns they've apparently got about the way the Act is functioning," he said.

"If the police feel they can't use the current powers because they compromise investigations, there would appear to be a need for change and we are open to that."

The Herald Sun revealed that the chief commissioner's power to exclude undesirables from the casino had not been used since June 2006, when the force's casino crime unit was disbanded.

In the two years before that date, 35 gamblers with criminal connections were served with lifetime exclusion orders.

Acting Chief Commissioner Ken Lay advised police chose not to issue further exclusion orders for fear of being forced to disclose confidential sources.

Lay said those concerns prompted a decision not to contest a challenge to an exclusion order by one of the 35 gamblers banned from Crown prior to 2006.

Lay said the force received legal advice it may have had to reveal confidential information if the challenge had gone to the Supreme Court.

"We weren't prepared to take that risk," he said.

Lay said the problem had not been resolved despite the former government proposing amended legislation in 2009.

Several people still excluded under pre-2006 orders are known to frequent the famous casino, which comes compete with a max penalty of $2440 for each breach.

The 35 underworld figures banned from the casino and most racetracks in Victoria included the late Carl Williams and Tony Mokbel.

One Armed Bandit Pokies Warn Players Of Potential Dangers...

Passionate gamblers will be prompted by poker machines to donate some winnings to charity under a new eight-week trial overseen by the State Government.

And in a bid to keep more wins in the pockets of punters, new poker machines trialled in five surf lifesaving clubs will warn gamblers how much time and money they have spent.

Attorney-General Paul Lucas will today reveal the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation has approved the trial of the machines at Southport, Coolangatta, Kurrawa, Northcliffe and Tallebudgera surf clubs.

Lucas said gaming company Aristocrat Leisure had developed machines that would include state-defined messages and animations that encourage punters to gamble responsibly, a system that allows players to bank wins, an alarm clock that warns players when they have reached their pre-determined time on the machine and an ability to direct winnings to a registered charity.

During the trial the charity will be the surf club.

"This trial is expected to contribute valuable insights and increase the evidence base available to all stakeholders around the effectiveness of various game features, including a pre-commitment option, in encouraging responsible gaming behaviour," Lucas said.

The trial is being undertaken by Aristocrat and the University of Sydney.

Lucas said Queensland had one of the lowest gambling prevalence rates in the nation.

"But one problem gambler is one too many."

It comes as the Gillard Government is preparing to draft new mandatory pre-commitment laws that would mean gamblers would have to determine how much money they were willing to lose - and be locked out once that amount is reached - or play slower machines that suck down less moolah.

And here's the scoop...South Australian Nick Xenophon and anti-pokies campaigner Tim Costello are suing the South Australian and Victorian governments for not enforcing poker machine regulations. One ponders if that's related to the powerful 'Un Australian' ads been ran by Clubs Australia and friends.

Britain's controversial IVF Lottery Eyes Australia...

The brazen organiser of the world's first IVF lottery that gives ticket-holders a chance to "win" a baby wants to bring the controversial raffle to Australia this year.

No chook raffle, but lucky punters can essentially win a baby.

IVF experts have tackled the competition for preying on desperate infertile couples, and "demeaning human life".

Thousands of £20 (about $30) tickets will go up for grabs on July 30 in the UK, giving the winner £25,000 for fertility treatment.

The competition has the approval of Britain's Gaming Commission.

The prize includes accommodation at a luxury hotel, a chauffeur to take the winner to appointments and a personal assistant.

The winner will choose their own fertility clinic, as well as having fertility drugs and complementary therapies paid for.

If the standard treatment is not successful, the winner can choose another way of fulfilling the deal, such as reproductive surgery, donor eggs or a surrogate birth.

Lottery organiser Camille Strachan, who set up fertility support group To Hatch after her own failed IVF treatment, said the competition would help relieve financial pressures on would-be parents.

"Bringing this to Australia this year is at the forefront of my mind because I do get a lot of members from Australia, and infertility is just as big a problem in Australia as it is in the UK," Ms Strachan said.

"You're not picking up a baby from a shelf to give them. You're giving them an opportunity," she said.

"Some people don't have a choice apart from IVF and they should be given an opportunity just as much as anyone."

Fertility treatments in the UK have long waiting lists and are about double the cost of cycles in Australia, which are subsided by Medicare.

Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority chief executive Louise Johnson said although there was no legislation banning the lottery being run here, she found the concept "ethically murky".

What else can we say but good luck to all.

Man Glassed By Mystery Man in Cairns Casino...

Up in Northern Queensland a Cooktown man has been arrested after police said he glassed another man at the popular Cairns casino.

The two blokes were drinking in the smokers section of the Reef Hotel Casino on Wharf Street about 8pm Sunday when the Cooktown man allegedly lunged at a 21-year-old Bayview Heights man and threw a glass at him.

A police spokesman said the victim sustained serious injuries to his face and eye and was taken to Cairns Base Hospital.

The men were not known to each other.

"They were drinking in the same area but not communicating with each other," the spokesman said.

"There was some sort of altercation that has not been determined yet.

"For and unknown reason the suspect lunged at the victim and struck him in the face."

A Cooktown man has been charged with with one count of grievous bodily harm.

WAGGA dancer Monique Savill has been given the opportunity of a lifetime.
Monique, 18, has qualified to represent Australia at the International Dance Organisation Championships, after winning the jazz and modern contemporary sections of the Official Australian Championship and World Championship Selection Competition at Melbourne's Crown Casino earlier this year.

She has been working towards this moment since she first started competing in the Crown Casino competition in 2001.

Monique has been given the choice of representing Australia in the championships in Poland in December or waiting until next year's competition, allowing her to fit her representation in with her other dance commitments.

"I am over the moon. I have been aiming for it so long. I feel so privileged to be given the opportunity," she said.

"Dancing has been a passion of mine for a long time. I am honoured to take part and won't be taking the opportunity for granted."

During the five-day competition, Monique will be asked to compete against dancers from 90 other countries, with each dancer bringing their own style to the competition.

Monique said she would spend the next couple of months training and perfecting her technique to make sure she had the best chance of winning the championships.

Her training routine will involve working on her jazz and contemporary routines, as well as taking classes in other dance styles and continuing her ballroom dancing competitions.

Goldsack 'should have been fined'...

THE $400 payout Tyson Goldsack's mother received after her son kicked the first goal in last year's grand final replay should have led to a fine for the Collingwood player, according to North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw.

The fallout from the Magpies' betting scandal has continued with the spotlight falling on a $5 bet Wendy Goldsack placed on her son to kick the first goal in the grand final.

The AFL yesterday cleared Goldsack of any wrongdoing, deciding that because he had not passed on any team information to his mother, there had been no breach of AFL rules.

This was in contrast to Magpies defender Heath Shaw who was suspended for eight matches and fined $20,000 after placing a $10 bet on his captain Nick Maxwell to be the first goalscorer in a round 9 match against Adelaide.

Maxwell was also fined $5000 (with another $5000 suspended) for telling family members he was to move from his usual position in defence to an attacking role. Family members then placed $85 worth of bets on him to kick the first goal.

Brayshaw said Goldsack was lucky to escape punishment.

"You've got the captain of the Collingwood Football Club who has been fined heavily for doing something that 17 games earlier a teammate did exactly the same thing and has been absolved of any responsibility," Brayshaw said on Channel Nine yesterday. "How does that work? He (Maxwell) will be sitting back saying . . . 'a bloke did exactly the same as what I've done and you could argue, more importantly, because it was a grand final and it was a collect, and he's got no case to answer while I'm out of pocket'."

Goldsack said after the match he had joked with his mother that he would kick the first goal but had no way of knowing it would pan out that way.

AFL Players' Association chief executive Matt Finnis yesterday admitted players had been caught unawares in the latest scandal and said the increased focus on certain "grey areas" in the rules would benefit his members.

"I think the education provided by the AFL is as good as any in Australian sport, but it does show more focus is needed on grey areas," Finnis said.

He described the Maxwell incident as the first of a "shift in culture of a well-established practice" in which players have traditionally discussed football game plans and team placements with friends and family.

Maxwell said yesterday it was a lesson learned for all players.

Finnis explained that it was the AFL, not the players union, that was responsible for education programs about rules and regulations such as the gambling code and its racial and religious vilification policy.

"We supported the changes to the rules and the standard player contract to uphold the integrity of the game," Finnis said. "But the players will now need to think twice about the information they receive from their clubs."

Maxwell said yesterday he should have been more responsible for knowing the rules.

"All my family have been shocked and embarrassed by it all," he said on Channel Seven's Game Day.

"We never thought any of this would happen and no one had any intentions of it happening."

Players caught on TAB footage...

CCTV footage of Heath Shaw and relatives of Nick Maxwell brought down the Magpie pair.

Sources last night said the AFL started to investigate following a report of suspicious betting on Nick Maxwell in the Herald Sun.

The AFL started the probe and immediately sought the assistance of wagering giant Tabcorp under the same integrity agreement the NRL used to identify key participants in last year's rugby league betting scandal in a Bulldogs-Cowboys match.

"We were just a tool available to the AFL as part of its investigation," a TAB source said.

"We were asked to provide a report on all bets placed on Nick Maxwell to kick the first goal in the round nine AFL match (Collingwood v Adelaide).

"So our first step was to get a printout of all bets placed on Maxwell and identify the time those bets were placed and how they were placed.

"In this case all the bets were placed using cash and through TAB agencies."

Tabcorp keeps CCTV footage from all of its agencies.

"Once we'd identified how, when and where the bets were placed and notified the AFL, we forwarded the relevant CCTV footage to the AFL.

"It wasn't our job to try and identify any of the individuals on the footage, we just provided it all to the AFL for them to investigate."

The source said that Tabcorp was later notified that Shaw, his flatmate and members of Maxwell's family had been identified.

"From the footage the AFL identified Heath Shaw with what was later discovered to have been his flatmate, who placed the bet.

"Review of other CCTV footage showed Maxwell's brother and his wife's mother also placing bets."

The source said last year's NRL scandal and yesterday's revelation about Shaw and Maxwell simply reinforced how significant a step the AFL had taken by signing an integrity agreement with Tabcorp and other betting agencies.

"Betting on AFL, or sport in general, has grown enormously over the past few years and the AFL acted very responsibly in forming formal partnerships with some wagering operators and appointing its own integrity manager."

1. THE PLAN

Mick Malthouse tells defender Nick Maxwell he will start forward in the May 22 Round 9 match against Adelaide. Heath Shaw tells his flatmate and two other people

$101: ODDS FOR NICK MAXWELL TO KICK FIRST GOAL

2. THE BETS

On May 21, Shaw had $10 in a $20 cash bet with a friend on Maxwell to kick the first goal, at odds of $101. Three bets totalling $25 were placed by people Shaw told. Maxwell family members also placed small wagers after he told them he would start forward.

3. GAME DAY

The unusual bets cut Maxwell's odds to $25. The first goal is kicked by John McCarthy

4. INVESTIGATION

The AFL started its investigation after the Herald Sun reported on May 25 that a leading betting agency had been approached by punters wanting to back Maxwell to kick the first goal. The AFL asked Tabcorp to provide details of all bets placed of the bet type in question.

CCTV footage of the bets being placed was given to the AFL. Heath Shaw and his flatmate, who placed the bet, were identified, as well as Maxwell's brother and mother-in-law, who had placed three bets totalling $85.

4. PENALTY

HEATH SHAW

Banned for 14 matches, with six suspended. He won't be able to play before the finals

Fined $20,000

NICK MAXWELL

$5000, with a further $5000 suspended for recklessly disclosing inside information

Gold Coast Added to Jackson's Australian Tour...

Janet Jackson is coming to the Gold Coast and fans can expect to get up close and personal with the singing star.

Down Under Australia has been added to the American's worldwide tour, with the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in the mix of venues where she will perform during October and November.

The Janet Jackson Number One: Up Close and Personal Tour has been designed so Jackson will be at venues that allow her to perform in a "much more intimate setting".

The announcement is a huge coup for the city and comes just months after Jupiters Hotel & Casino brought Rihanna to the same venue.

Paul Douglass, sales manager for entertainment and special events at the Convention Centre, said A-List class acts liked to visit the city especially because of the "feel of the venue".

"Other venues can get 25,000 or 30,000 people but that intimate experience is lacking," he said.

"We don't want to compete with Brisbane because we're a completely different demographic and completely different venue."

Douglass suggested that this would be the first of a series of big name acts to book the Coast venue.

"Janet Jackson has chosen wisely to come here," he said.

"Securing an act like her creates a great buzz and lifts everyone's spirits."

Jackson will also calling for people to nominate 20 young leaders in each city who will win a tickets to the concert as well as backstage passes.

"There are many young people changing the world and I want them to be recognised during my tour," she told the press.

"This is a love affair between me and those of you who have supported me and my work for all these years."

The Board of bwin.party announces the appointment of Geoff Baldwin as a non-executive director of the Company with immediate effect. Mr Baldwin replaces Rami Lerner who is stepping down from the Board today as a non-executive director.

Geoff Baldwin's appointment is made following a nomination under the terms of a relationship agreement entered into by amongst others, bwin.party, Emerald Bay Limited and Stinson Ridge Limited that was approved by shareholders on 28 January 2011.

Geoff Baldwin, aged 46, is an investment banking professional with more than 24 years of experience, including serving as a M&A generalist in New York for five years and a technology M&A specialist for the last 19 years, primarily in Silicon Valley, California. He is a founder of GCA Savvian, a global investment bank that is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with dual headquarters in Tokyo and San Francisco. In the United States, GCA Savvian specialises in technology investment banking and is recognised as having a leading franchise in digital media, including social and mobile gaming, internet advertising and ecommerce. Mr Baldwin currently serves on the board of directors of GCA Savvian's listed parent company (GCA Savvian Group Corp.) and its European subsidiary, is a member of the firm's global executive committee and is head of the firm's M&A advisory practice in the United States. Prior to founding GCA Savvian, Mr Baldwin was a Managing Director in Morgan Stanley's mergers and acquisitions group.

"We are delighted to welcome Geoff to the Board. Given the pace of change in our marketplace and his wealth of experience of working with high technology and social media companies, Geoff will be well-placed to contribute to the next phase of our corporate development. I would like to thank Rami for his contribution to the Board over the last two years and wish him well for the future."

Previous teasers have included Iron Fist, Red She Hulk, Dr Strange and the Silver Surfer, who all seem to feature as a part of the mysterious group 'The Mighty' which is due to appear in Fear Itself.

All teasers have been accompanied by the words "It's either in you or it's not". No further information has been released about the project beyond the release date of December 2011.

Fans on the Comic Book Resources forums have picked out letters highlighting in distinguishing colors in the teasers to spell out the messages, "Everyone you love dies", "Shut the engines down", "The universe will break" and "Fight to save everything".

Marvel will reveal details of the project at its Fear Itself panel on Sunday, July 24 at San Diego Comic-Con.

‘Thor 2′: Australian Chris Hemsworth Very Sad To See Kenneth Branagh Move Forward...

“Thor” director Kenneth Branagh is walking away from the Thor - Marvel Entertainment franchise, and no one is hit harder by the news that Chris Hemsworth, the star of Thor.

“I’m really disappointed,” Hemsworth said of Branagh’s decision to pass on “Thor 2,” which is aiming for a July 2013 release and may begin filming next May. “Ken built that character, and everything I know about the Thor world I learned while shoulder-to-shoulder with Ken. I learned so much from him.”

By all reports, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige invited Branagh back to follow up his success of “Thor,” the May 6 release that has grossed $447 million in worldwide box office. The 50-year-old filmmaker seemed energized by the prospects of a sequel too, both in private and in public. In the end, though, the focus and time required for a major visual-effects epic and the urgency to get the script process underway were the factors that sent Branagh in an alternative direction. Branagh will be busy as the returning star of the acclaimed British TV series “Wallander” and with his ramping work with a theater group in his native Belfast.

Hemsworth made time to frop in to Comic-Con International in San Diego this last weekend to promote “Snow White and the Huntsman,” said Marvel Studios will decide fairly soon on Branagh’s replacement. The 27-year-old actor has said the Oscar-nominated Branagh was initially intimidating and ultimately inspiring to work with, and that he has left a mark that will carry forward on the franchise.

"As long as he’s happy, that’s the thing,” said Hemsworth, who left San Diego to return to the New Mexico set of ”The Avengers.” “I learned so much from Ken while we built [the first film], so at least I had that time with someone like that. The start of anything creative is the most important period in a way. That’s when the most can go wrong, and Ken made sure we got it right."

The Avengers To Get A Realistic Looking Hulk...

Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige dropped some details on what fans can expect to see of the big green wrecking machine in next summer's ensemble superhero film, revealing Hulk to be less ripped and more human-like in appearance.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, Marvel’s The Avengers brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel’s The Avengers is the super hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige confirms that the finished product will closely resemble the promo. Feige also went on to say that the third big screen incarnation of Hulk will be close in scale as the last feature length film version. He did say however that more changes have been made to digitally make the monster appear more human in it's facial structure.

"He'll be about the same size he was in The Incredible Hulk (which was about 9 feet tall) or maybe a little bit smaller. His muscles won't be quite as cut. We figure he's been the Hulk now for a few years and [his physique is changing]. He's not as cut or as ripped as he was in The Incredible Hulk. The most important thing is that face. As you can already see in that concept painting, it is — more than any Hulk that's ever been done in live action — a Hulk that let's you see the actor in there.

"You will be able to see Ruffalo in there. That was a big revelation for us. It's just a concept painting, but in that you can see the (influence of Marvel Comics pioneer and original Hulk artist Jack) Kirby, as people have already pointed out, but also, and equally important in this case, Ruffalo's eyes and his cheek structure. It is him."

‘Captain America’ Harley Davidson Bike Up For Auction...
Harley-Davidson created five custom-made bikes for Captain America and now you have a rare chance to own one – signed by Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Neal McDonough, the director Joe Johnston, and even comic-book legend Stan Lee. And the proceeds will go to help disabled veterans.

The bike, a 2011 Harley-Davidson V-Rod® Muscle VRSCF will be auctioned on eBay starting on July 28th until August 4th and all the proceeds will go to the ‘Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust,’ a non-profit which has helped this nation’s injured heroes since 1920 with things like transport problems and benefit claims, and also educates the public on veterans matters.

“Captain America and Harley-Davidson are great symbols of freedom, but we can never forget the brave men and women who made extraordinary sacrifices to protect our way of life,” Dino Bernacchi, Harley’s Director of Marketing told PRN. “We’re excited about the potential of this auction to strengthen our bond with the DAV and the great work they do.”

And this is not the first time the guys at Harley have helped – in 2006 they donated $1-million to the same group, then another $1-million last year. One result of this is the ‘Harley’s Heroes’ program which has helped tens of thousands of vets with free counseling and other assistance the government can’t or won’t bring.

And they’re not done – If you have a local Harley dealer and you love the movie, give them a call – Some have an exclusive poster of Chris Evans in costume riding a vintage 1942 Harley-Davidson ‘Liberator.’ Harley’s promotional web site also has unseen footage from the film, made in collaboration with Marvel.

You can find the auction right here. It opens on Thursday and they’re expecting a crush, so don’t get left out…

Paramount Pictures' "Captain America: The First Avenger" opened at No. 1 with $65.8 million, according to Sunday studio estimates. The Marvel Comics superhero adventure sets up next summer's all-star blockbuster "The Avengers."

Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the eighth and final installment in the boy-wizard franchise, dropped to the second spot. It made just over $48 million in its second weekend for a domestic total of $274.1 million.

Don Harris, head of distribution for Paramount, said "Captain America" exceeded expectations. He figured it would do the same sort of business as "X-Men: First Class," which opened with $55.1 million in June.

"It looked to me, when I saw the marketing on the movie and then saw 'Captain America,' like a throwback movie. It reminded me a little bit of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' It had a little bit of a 'Raiders' feel to it, which is one of the best movies of all time," Harris said. "People embrace the look of the character. The character is a little bit like Iron Man — he didn't have a lot of special weapons to himself, he just was a pretty interesting character.

"For it to be the fifth of five superhero movies for the summer, it looks like we got to save the best for last," he said.

Internationally, "Captain America: The First Avenger" opened only in Italy with $2.8 million. It will begin playing in 23 international markets next weekend, including the United Kingdom, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Korea.

"Harry Potter" dropped 72 percent from its record-setting opening of $169.2 million last weekend. That was expected, though: Even Warner Bros. executives acknowledged that these movies are front-loaded in terms of audience turn-out.

And as box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com pointed out, this final "Potter" picture made $43 million in its first midnight showings alone.

"'Harry Potter' did what it's going to do," Dergarabedian said. "Even trying to keep up with that pace, that level, is really tough."

The strong showing of "Captain America" made sense, he said. Every superhero movie that's come out this year has opened at No. 1.

"The general consensus was that it was a pretty good movie," Dergarabedian said of "Captain America," which scored 73 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. "Being the week of Comic-Con, I don't know, maybe that many fan-boys in one place affected the box office. Maybe people had comic books on the brain, superheroes on the brain."

The week's other big release, "Friends With Benefits" from Sony Screen Gems, opened at No. 3 with $18.5 million. The romantic comedy stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as friends who try to maintain a strictly physical relationship. The extremely similar "No Strings Attached," starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, debuted in January with $19.7 million.

Opening in limited release, "Another Earth" made $78,413 on four screens in New York and Los Angeles. The Fox Searchlight sci-fi romance stars William Mapother and Brit Marling as strangers whose lives intersect after a deadly car crash.

Meanwhile, the 3-D "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" became the highest-grossing movie ever distributed by Paramount Pictures International. It crossed the half-billion-dollar mark with $62 million from 60 worldwide markets this weekend. Its cumulative overseas gross now stands at $556.6 million.

Domestically, the third "Transformers" movie made $12 million this weekend for a domestic total of $325.8 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $65.8 million ($2.8 million international).

2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," $48 million ($121.3 million international).

3. "Friends With Benefits," $18.5 million.

4. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," $12 million ($62 million international).

5. "Horrible Bosses," $11.7 million.

6. "Zookeeper," $8.7 million.

7. "Cars 2," $5.7 million ($17.7 million international).

8. "Winnie the Pooh," $5.1 million.

9. "Bad Teacher," $2.6 million.

10. "Midnight in Paris," $1.9 million.

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Thousands Line Up for 'Avengers' Casting Call...

CLEVELAND — One of Hollywood's biggest films, "The Avengers," is coming to town.

Now, thousands of locals are lining up for a taste of stardom.

"I want to be a part of this movie," said Cincinnati resident, Dhin Soriano. "It's one of the biggest movies coming out next year."

Based on the popular comic book series, The Avengers, will start filming in Cleveland in August.

"I knew the crowd was going to be kind of big, so I made sure I got him up kind of early," said Daryl Burge, of Garfield.

Burge and his cousin, James, were of two of more than 3,000 people who attended Friday's casting call for the Marvel Studio flick.

About 2,000 extras are needed to work alongside stars like Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson.

The movie has generated buzz across the country, attracting many people who hope to be a part of their favorite childhood past time.

"Marvel Comics. Oh, I still got some from the 60's," said Columbus resident, Carolyn Parkman.

Parkman traveled to Cleveland the day before to beat the crowd.

"I've got my magazines, but I love my comics," she said. "I can stand here. That's all I'm thinking about is the fact that this is the chance of a lifetime."

The movie will have another casting call from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at the Holiday Inn, 6001 Rockside Road, Independence, Ohio.

Extras casting directors say if you do plan to apply, come dressed in business attire. Also, be sure to bring an umbrella, pen, food, water and entertainment. You may have to wait in line for hours. Only those who have flexible schedules should apply.

What will be the highest-grossing comic book adaptation of 2011?; Box Office Mojo Poll

Yet more movie excitement with the the impending release of "Captain America: The First Avenger,". And, how about next year's highly anticipated, superhero-filled "The Avengers."

Chris Evans aka "Captain America" was interviewed by our friends at MTV. Learn about his thoughts on working with fan-favorite "Avengers" director Joss Whedon...

"He's unbelievable," Evans said. "He's so clever. He lives in the world of comic books, so he has in his head an amazing story already mapped out."

"When it comes to directing actors and understanding dialogue, he's an incredibly talented writer. If something isn't working for you as an actor within the words, he can walk away for 10 minutes and come back with seven options that are all fantastic and clever and witty and it's got a pace and a banter," he explained. "He's a great guy to be quarterbacking this thing."

With regard to Captain America's storyline in "The Avengers," the details of which Evans couldn't fully elaborate on but are briefly teased at the conclusion of "Captain America," he said his character is basically a fish out of water trying to understand the modern world around him.

"It's really multifaceted. The guy has to accept the fact that everyone he knew and loved is gone," Evans said of his character's new arc. "Not only is he alone, [but] the world has changed so much, and I think a big part of what makes Cap Cap was his connection to the way things used to be, this kind of pro-American morality and good-ol'-boy sense of life and the way of doing things," he added. "In the modern era, there's a bit of a disconnect. There's not as much human interaction. I think there's more cynicism than there was back then, so it's him trying to come to terms with the way things are."

Captain America: The First Avenger; Could Be The Best And Highest Grossing Comic Movie This Year...

The next big Marvel flick on the back of this year’s critically acclaimed X-Men: First Class, and the more divisive, mighty Thor.

Captain America: The First Avenger pretty much rocks. The Captain was the first Marvel pinup boy to progress from the comic book page to the projector back in 1944.

Starring Chris Evans as the Captain – and with an impressive support cast including Hugo Weaving and Tommy Lee Jones – Marvel films have usually attracted top actors and talent in the business.

Let's have a look at a few Marvel flicks from over the years, to determine if their oldest hero will be profitable, and critically well-received nearly 70 years after its birth.

The Captain’s silver screen début way back then – when Marvel was called Timely Comics – wasn’t followed up with another motion picture from the same house until 1986, some 42 years later. Are'nt you glad that finally decided to start pumping them out.

That film was Howard the Duck, credibly cited in the worst film of all time lists with actors receiving Raspberry awards for their performances. Howard – produced by George Lucas – was a box office flop, barely breaking even and putting off the film arm of Marvel having another crack for three years. Then they teamed up with Dolph Lundgren and did The Punisher - fortunately the quality generally improved as the years moved forward.

Marvel went through quite a rough patch in the 1980s: an area of film that seemed tailor made for their intellectual property. CGI effects, bigger budgets, but the films were still not being very warmly embraced by casual movie fans, hardcores or critics.

The trend for Marvel films – give or take – continued into the 1990s when comic adaptations’ performances generally were not great. Batman and Robin and Steel limped didn't do the genre many favours either.

Blade got a mixed response for Marvel. High performing, taking $131m; near four times its budget, and critically sound, the film spawned the investigation into an X-Men movie franchise and the Spiderman series.

X-Men – already a successful franchise in its own right with computer games, figurines, solid backstory, animations and art – followed up where Blade left off and set the bar higher.

X-Men to date has spawned around $1.6bn and, although a mixed critical reception is synonymous with the franchise, that figure was enhanced with the latest X-Men: First Class, which has been a big box office win.

The Spiderman series has been a real win for Marvel and their respective teams. The fourth in the series is due next year and given the last – 2007′s Spiderman 3 – took almost a billion dollars to cap a highly profitable franchise to date.

Marvel is on the rise, their stock is attractive and it’s sweet timing for Captain America. The UK – mostly unaware of this hero compared to other Marvel winners – has an appetite for Marvel icons on the big screen along with the rest of the world. If these enjoy success in line with Blade, X-Men and Wolverine, the firm will continue to power ahead, unless there's a torpedo on the horizen that Marvel or the industry doesn't know about.

Films in the Marvel series have been all the rage in regions such as America, Europe, the far east and Australia. Marvel flicks at the movies continue to be excelsior!

Comic-Con 2011 Preview...

(CBS) Comic-Con starts next week in San Diego, Calif., on Thursday, July 21, and runs through the weekend (and there's a "Preview Night," Wednesday, July 20).

The event is a big deal (to paraphrase Vice President Joe Biden) and now draws more than 100,000 people a year. Here's a sampling of what you can expect.

Planet of the Apes in Comics Present and Past - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - With the new movie, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" coming, this is a perfect time to see what's going on with "Planet of the Apes" comics editor Ian Brill and writer Daryl Gregory.

TheOneRing.net: Hobbit Talk - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - This isn't an official Peter Jackson event but TheOneRing.net is an influential fan site and there's bound to be lots of good inside information on the upcoming "Hobbit" films.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - "Burn Notice" and Bruce Campbell fans rejoice! Now you can see what happened to Same Axe (Campbell) before he joined Fiona and Michael Weston on the USA series. This made-for-TV movie debuts on DVD at Comic-Con.

Comic-Con How-To: Creating a Character-Driven Story with Maxwell Alexander Drake - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - This is just what it says it is: A how-to on creating great characters and stories.

Comic-Con Film School 101: Preproduction and Screenwriting - 10:00-11:00 a.m. This is the first day of a four-day class on how to make low-budget movies using desktop postproduction software and available video technology.

Spotlight on Joyce Brabner - 10:30-11:30 a.m. - Brabner will talk about her current projects and the work of her lates husband, Harvey Pekar.

"Game of Thrones" Panel and Q&A session - 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Members of the HBO series cast join the panel discussion, including Kit Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Peter Dinklage. Moderated by "A Song of Fire and Ice" creator George R. R. Martin.

Showtime - 5:30-7:30 p.m. - The premium cable station will have a host of stars and creative people from its shows "Dexter," (including an appearance by star Michael C. Hall), "Shameless" stars William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum and more.

Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries: A discussion with Jon Favreau and Guillermo del Toro on the Future of Pop Culture - 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Entertainment Weekly moderates a conversation with director Jon Favreau (his "Cowboys & Aliens" comes out July 29) and Guillermo del Toro, who co-wrote the upcoming "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" remake.

Writing Movies for Fun and Profit - 7:00-8:00 p.m. - Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, stars of "The State," "Reno 911!" and writers of the "Night at the Museum" films, talk about how to write movies that will make billions at the box office.

Friday, July 22

Conversations with Sid and Marty Krofft: A Look at the Past, Present and Future - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Sid and Marty Krofft talk about their creations H.R. Pufnstuf and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.

Comic-Con Film School 102: Production - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - This is Day two of the four-day course on making movies on super low budgets.

Epix Pictures: The Captains - 10:15-11:15 a.m. - Kevin Smith moderates a panel with William Shatner and Avery Brooks, captains of "Star Trek." Shatner has produced and directed a documentary about all the actors who have played "Star Trek" captains. This should be amazing.

Page One - 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - This panel, about the first page of a comic, is moderated by Douglas Wolk and features Carla Speed McNeil, Jen Van Meter and Greg Rucka.

AMC's "The Walking Dead" - 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - Stars and creators of the AMC show talk about the first season of the series and what's in store for season two. Panelists include creator Frank Darabont, executive producer Gale Ann Hurd and stars Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies and Laurie Holden.

An Early Evening with Kevin Smith - 5:45-7:30 p.m. - Kevin Smith takes the stage for what has become an annual Q&A. Hear the creator of "Clerks," "Mallrats" and many other cool things talk and talk and talk.

FX Pilot Sneak Peek Screening - 9:30-10:30 p.m. - FX hasn't released the details - meaning which pilot - but the network has some great shows on its roster. Probably worth taking a peak.

Sunday, July 24

"Glee" - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Creator and executive producer of "Glee," Ryan Murphy, creator/executive producer Brad Falchuk and stars of the show give the audience a peek at "Glee The 3D Concert Movie." There's also a Q&A session.

Comic-Con Film School 104: Post Production and Distribution - 10:00-11:00 a.m. - The final day of the four-day filmmaking course tells you how to get your movie seen by lots of eyeballs (or at least more than yours and your friends and family).

One-on-One with Castle Star Nathan Fillion - 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. - The "Firefly" star, Nathan Fillion, and the cast of "Castle" talk about the crime series in a panel discussion.

BBC America's "Doctor Who" - 12:30-1:30 p.m. - Stars Karen Gillan and Matt Smith, with the help of producers and writers, make their first appearance at Comic-Con for a Q&A and panel. You'll get to see new footage before the show comes back to BBC America later this summer.

Sons of Anarchy - 3:30-4:00 p.m.

Buffy the Musical - 4:00-5:00 p.m. - The weekend closes with a screening of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" musical episode, "Once More with Feeling."

'Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty' Game Hits the iPhone and iPad...

Following in the footsteps of Thor: Son of Asgard, Marvel Entertainment has released a new iOS videogame tie-in for Captain America: The First Avenger. Arriving on the iPhone/iPad in the form of one convenient app this week, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty puts players in control of Cap in a $4.99 platformer filled with 24 levels of running, leaping, punching and shield-slinging. Check out video and images of the title in action after the jump.

Just as Son of Asgard tapped comic book talent for its story and cutscenes, Sentinel of Liberty features a story by Christos Gage with art by Ron Lim and Christopher Sotomayor.

From the official iTunes listing:
Sentinel of Liberty features stunning HD graphics optimized for Retina Displays! Play as the Super Soldier Captain America in this epic action game. As WW2 rages, Red Skull is leading HYDRA as they build super weapons that will turn the tide of the war. To make matters worse, Falsworth, Dum Dum Dugan and Bucky have been captured. Go behind enemy lines to rescue them and put an end to the sinister plot. Use your unbreakable shield to battle, block, and maneuver your way on what seems like a suicide mission.

Kevin Sutherland speaks about the Stan Lee Excelsior Award...

The noted comic artist (Beano and Dr Who Adventures amongst other titles, and gifted Falsetto Socks Company creator) Kev Sutherland was the keynote speaker at the Stan Lee Excelsior Awards. This is what he had to say:

‘I was honoured and delighted to be part of the Stan Lee Excelsior Awards in Sheffield yesterday.

Organised by Paul Register, the Learning Resource Centre Manager (that’s Librarian in old money) at Ecclesfield School, this splendid award involved a number of local schools (10 I believe, Paul will correct me), whose pupils were given the opportunity to read, review and vote on a shortlist of 8 graphic novels and their votes would find a winner. A few hundred pupils, drawn from each of the participating schools, were in attendance at the presentation.

I did my small Comic Art Masterclass keynote speech, which kept them entertained for half an hour, then we had a presentation from the most marvellous special guest – Theodore “Ted” Adams from the Stan Lee Foundation, who had come all the way over from the States just to be here and give Stan’s seal of approval to the event. We watched some highly entertaining video by and about Stan, and the whole hall posed for a video clip of us shouting “Excelsior” which should wind up on Stan’s website.
Then the awards were presented. In 3rd place was the manga version of Twilight, in 2nd place was Bryan Talbot’s Grandville Mon Amour – Bryan was there to accept the award – and the winner, quitenoverwhelmingly if the students’ applause was anything to go by, was Black Butler by Yana Toboso.

Bryan and Ben Heggarty, author of shortlisted title Mezolith, signed books, the guys from Sheffield Space Centre sold books, the whole event was filmed and should end up online, and I did drawings and signed comics for kids.

This was an absolutely excellent event, reaching precisely the sort of audience that I always wanted my Comic Festival events to reach. The school hall was full of kids who now read comics, some of whom did before but all of whom will do now.

Thanks Paul & congratulations.’

We have permission to print this straight from the website (in case you were wondering), which is here. Kev is an excellent visitor to have in your schools, as he will give comic masterclasses and enthuse your students, turning them on to the joy of graphic novels. (Credit: Heart Of The School)

A Green Lantern Sequel?!...

Warner Bros. is apparently planning a sequel to Green Lantern despite that film's box-office and critical underperformance. The Hollywood Reporter has the word from the studio, noting that that it "won't walk away from the superhero franchise, despite the film's soft box office performance. ... Sources say Warners still believes in the franchise, even if the studio is 'somewhat disappointed' with Green Lantern's result." The film dropped some 66% domestically in its second weekend, meaning it's only made about $89.3 million as of last night. That's not a lot considering the reported costs of the picture ($300 million at least including marketing), and internationally it is not performing either. So why announce a sequel now? As THR notes, with Harry Potter coming to an end, the studio needs big franchises big time. And there's always the chance that Lantern will make a ton of money on DVD and Blu-ray and digital download. Plus, God only knows how the balance sheet looks for these things in terms of toys and all the other merchandising. Movies are also made for games these days, so don't you forget that. Of course, maybe Warner Bros. is just saying there's going to be a Green Lantern sequel since it wasn't very good. Maybe Warner Bros thinks their green monster will create more green cash, and they would know that answer better than most. As they say at Media Man and Marvel Entertainment, "Don't just read the comics and watch the movies, Play the games!"

Square-jawed superhero Steve Rogers lays strangely immobile in the bowels of an enormous “suborbital bomber” — a contraption that looks like Howard Hughes’ legendary Spruce Goose if it were pimped out for Darth Vader. His eyes closed, the hero might be lost in deep contemplation or possibly praying for help to foil an evil plot, in this case the impending launch of a missile targeted at a major American city.

But from a certain vantage point, his face pressed against the glass encasing the weapon, it sure looks as though Captain America’s snoozing. Even if Chris Evans, who plays the weakling soldier wannabe turned strapping superhero in the new film “Captain America: The First Avenger,” were catching a few winks, it would be tough to blame him. The actor, 30, had to bulk up at the gym to better embody Rogers, who becomes a hulking good guy determined to fight for classic American ideals.

Specifically, Rogers is tasked with thwarting the nefarious designs of the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) in the World War II-era comic book adaptation, which opens in theaters July 22. In addition to the physical demands of the role, though, Evans has had to spend time wrestling with Rogers’ inner demons.

“He’s given this amazing blessing, all of the ability that he has always wanted,” said Evans on the sidelines of a frigid soundstage at Pinewood Studios outside of London late last year. “That can easily corrupt. If you give anyone this power, it is easy to become a bully and let human emotion take over.”

That notion — essentially that with great power comes great responsibility — is, of course, central to the ethos of more than one star character from the Marvel Comics universe, so it’s perhaps not surprising to find that same message at the core of “Captain America.”

What is perhaps more notable is the movie’s retro-futuristic aesthetic, which production designer Rick Heinrichs said is unique in its representation of slick and oversized World War II-era cars, tanks and aircraft; the sets and props combine elegant prewar industrial styles with the organic plantlike visions of the 20th century Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who is famous for Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia.

“We’re not doing a historic war movie but a stylized and exaggerated war movie,” Heinrichs said. “It is the future as seen from the past.”

The approach extends too to Rogers’ costume — which includes a distressed leather coat that he wears over his familiar red, white and blue garb. Speaking with Hero Complex months later, director Joe Johnston (“The Rocketeer”) said he used “Raiders of the Lost Ark” as a template for developing the story.

“This is futurism in the 1940s; if you went to 1942 and thought of what the future would be, that’s what the approach was,” Johnston said. “The villain has a much more futuristic style and his science and his apparatus — he has a whole design motif that is beyond 1942 but it’s what you might have perceived as futuristic from a 1942 vantage point.”

Of course, setting “Captain America” in the storied past helps avoid some of the more charged political questions that accompany releasing a patriotically themed production around the world at a time when the U.S. is perceived in certain places as somewhat less than heroic.

Marvel is not blind to the potentially alienating title and is planning to open the film simply as “The First Avenger” in South Korea, Russia and Ukraine, where the comic book is not already well known, according to the film’s producer and Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige.

But he and Evans, who will reprise his role in next year’s “The Avengers,” point out that the movie highlights the universal elements that have made Steve Rogers an enduring presence in the seven decades since his debut.

“Right now in America how we handle ourselves in political and global issues is up for questioning,” Evans said. “I still think Captain America is timeless. He might wear the red, white and blue, but I don’t think this is all about America. It is what America stands for. It could be called ‘Captain Good.’” (Credit: Los Angeles Times)

Spider-Man To Save Chicago Comics From Doom In Upcoming Issue...

Chicago comic readers looking for a little local edge in the Amazing Spider-Man series should love what’s coming up in the next issue. Hallowed comic book supplier Chicago Comics will be featured on the front cover of about 500 copies of the limited edition of Issue 666.

This is the first time that Marvel Comics has offered the option of personalization to comic book retailers, and Eric Kirsammer, owner of Chicago Comics, wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, in the hopes that the issue will become collectible and the store can become a part of comic history.

The comic, to be released on July 27, will showcase Spider-Man on a mission to save comic book stores across the country, in a small show of appreciation for these institutions helping him become so famous over the years. Fans who might not be prepared for the meta-ness of the event and the collision of reality and fiction into one mind-bending experience should probably stay away and prevent their delicate world-views from being shattered. Further info be releases via the store’s blog
http://www.chicagocomics.com/blog/category/store_info/newthisweek

Thor And X-Men First Class Tipped To Hammer Home Results...

Thor and X-Men: First Class got great reviews and we're awesome, and Captain America: The First Avenger seems set to hit the spot to, but big questions remain about Green Lantern, and the vibe is not particularly good. Green Lantern with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively is getting very reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has a 23% approval among movie critics, according to the 153 reviews counters. But 72% of the 62,000 plus user reviewers say that they "liked it" with it just premiering in the U.S theaters Friday after a midnight release on late Thursday/early Friday. Comic Book Movie.com indicates are pretty negative on the flick. One reviewer called the movie "inert, artificial and dead on arrival." During the midnight release on Thursday, the film drew $3.35 million 0 the same region that alike movies that were recently released did; X-Men: First Class brought in $3.37 million on June 2nd, and Thor did $3.25 million on May 5th. X-Men: First Class and Thor both had a budget significantly less than Green Lantern; the former had a budget of $160 million while Thor had exactly half the budget of Green Lantern — $150 million. While the flick will likely end up eventually surpassing its budget, the fact the other comic book movies had much less budget isn’t a great result. Ultimately, X-Men: First Class raked in $55.1 million in its opening weekend while Thor did $65.7 million. With this being the third comic book-based movie released in a month-and-a-half and mixed reviews, will Green Lantern under perform this weekend, or will the hardcore - fanboy type audience that has been largely ripping on it, check it out at the cinema?

Our top picks: Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger looks like a safe bet.

Producers expect to announce the casting of John Gotti Jr. within the next few weeks.

Producer Marc Fiore has said in the past that he signed a two-picture deal with Lindsay Lohan, but Lohan and producers have not completed an agreement for "Gotti."

Fiore Films acquired the life rights from John Gotti Jr. -- son of the late head of the Gambino crime family. The movie is the first motion picture that has the cooperation of a member of the Gotti family.

According to Fiore Films, the movie "reveals the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who chose to leave that world behind and redeem himself."

The film will reveal the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who, while brought up to lead a life of crime, chose to leave that world behind and redeem himself and the Gotti name. Never before has there been such an inside look at the Gotti family and their world of danger, betrayal and redemption. John Gotti was head of the Gambino crime family, which in its time was the largest and most powerful crime organization in the country. Known as the "Dapper Don," John Gotti's flamboyant style and outspoken personality made him one of the most famous mobsters of the 20th century and he ruled the underworld until he died from cancer in 2002 while serving a life sentence. In 1988, at the age of 24, Gotti Jr. became a "made man," and was officially inducted into the Mafia, making him the heir-apparent to head the Gambino crime family and follow in his father's footsteps...

Actor Joe Pesci is suing Fiore Films, the production company behind the John Gotti biopic Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father, for $3 million, reports the Associated Press. The suit alleges that the company used Pesci’s name to drum up interest in the project, only to rescind an offer for Pesci to play Gotti enforcer and childhood friend Angelo Ruggiero. The 68-year-old actor also claims he gained 30 pounds for the role. John Travolta is attached to play the title role of the notorious New York mobster in the film, which is set to start production in January with director Barry Levinson. Other confirmed stars include Al Pacino, Lindsay Lohan, and Kelly Preston. Levinson and James Toback (who penned Levinson’s 1991 gangster film Bugsy) are writing the screenplay. UPDATE: When reached by the AP, Mike Fiore, CEO of Fiore Films, claimed it was Pesci who had pulled out of the project, when the original director, Nick Cassavetes, left the film in April. Pesci, contends Fiore, said he would not return until Cassavetes was replaced, and then rebuffed attempts by Levinson to reach out to him. “Before we had a deal, Mr. Pesci walked away,” says Fiore, who also contends he’s considering countersuing Pesci. “He’s wasting his time and everybody else’s time. I might be a newbie in town. This newbie is not going to get bulled around.”

The Board of bwin.party announces the appointment of Geoff Baldwin as a non-executive director of the Company with immediate effect. Mr Baldwin replaces Rami Lerner who is stepping down from the Board today as a non-executive director.

Geoff Baldwin's appointment is made following a nomination under the terms of a relationship agreement entered into by amongst others, bwin.party, Emerald Bay Limited and Stinson Ridge Limited that was approved by shareholders on 28 January 2011.

Geoff Baldwin, aged 46, is an investment banking professional with more than 24 years of experience, including serving as a M&A generalist in New York for five years and a technology M&A specialist for the last 19 years, primarily in Silicon Valley, California. He is a founder of GCA Savvian, a global investment bank that is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with dual headquarters in Tokyo and San Francisco. In the United States, GCA Savvian specialises in technology investment banking and is recognised as having a leading franchise in digital media, including social and mobile gaming, internet advertising and ecommerce. Mr Baldwin currently serves on the board of directors of GCA Savvian's listed parent company (GCA Savvian Group Corp.) and its European subsidiary, is a member of the firm's global executive committee and is head of the firm's M&A advisory practice in the United States. Prior to founding GCA Savvian, Mr Baldwin was a Managing Director in Morgan Stanley's mergers and acquisitions group.

"We are delighted to welcome Geoff to the Board. Given the pace of change in our marketplace and his wealth of experience of working with high technology and social media companies, Geoff will be well-placed to contribute to the next phase of our corporate development. I would like to thank Rami for his contribution to the Board over the last two years and wish him well for the future."

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Club owners and punters gathered in the Sydney electorate of Education Minister Peter Garrett last night to voice their anger over proposed restrictions on poker machines.

More than 200 people turned up to the South Sydney Juniors Rugby League Club at Kingsford last night to protest against mandatory pre-set betting limits for pokies.

Mr Garrett was given a cool reception as he spoke to the crowd in his electorate of Kingsford Smith, but he was not deterred from defending the changes.

"There's nothing un-Australian about thinking about the problems that people face who are problem gamblers, and trying to do something to address that problem," Mr Garrett said.

"I don't think anyone can take away from the legitimacy of the goal, which is to make sure that something which does fall upon your and my fellow Australians and cause them great grief, and their families great grief and suffering, is dealt with."

Peter Newell from Clubs Australia hit back, saying there are already many restrictions on poker machines.

"Clubs Australia does not want one dollar from problem gamblers, and we are completely open to continuing reform that actually helps problem gamblers. But this current proposal is totally misguided in this regard," Mr Newell said.

"Voluntary pre-commitment has already been put in place by quite a number of clubs without having a noose put around their neck."

National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop told the crowd problem gambling is a terrible issue, but the Government is not offering a solution.

"We do however challenge a policy that will not stop problem gamblers, but will simply make it too complicated for the average person to have an occasional punt," Mr Gallop said.

"If Clubs Australia is even half right, this policy will have a devastating affect on many communities, many grassroots rugby league clubs."